Adapting Evidence-Based Social Skills Training for Individuals with High Functioning Autism

NIMH
ID: HHSN27100664102C
PI: MELISSA DEROSIER, PHD
TERM: 10/06 – 09/09

Children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) are at heightened risk for a wide range of social relationship problems. Specialists in the field of autism suggest the social skill deficits experienced by people with HFASD are the most difficult aspect of the disorder to overcome. S.S.GRIN-HFA (Social Skills Group Intervention for High Functioning Autism) builds upon the solid foundation of an existing evidence-based curriculum for social skills training (S.S.GRIN) with key alterations to make the training specifically applicable for children with HFASD.S.S.GRIN-HFA provides mental health professionals with a unique multi-modal, multi-component intervention program to build the social skills and social relationships of children ages eight through twelve with HFASD.S.S.GRIN-HFA integrates a structured skill-based curriculum with video and graphic materials that not only target specific skill sets, but also bridge the intervention setting with home efforts to promote social functioning.

In Phase I of the project, feasibility testing results provided substantial support for continued development of the intervention. Phase I findings provided essential constructive feedback that informed the direction of the development of S.S.GRIN-HFA (e.g., adding DVD video components to increase engagement of children; including more worksheet activities). Mental health professionals in both community and school settings, parents, and children strongly endorsed the S.S.GRIN-HFA intervention.

Phase II continued the research and development of S.S.GRIN-HFA. The program was revised and refined based on Phase I results, feedback from the Phase II Advisory Committee, and feedback obtained from school- and community-based professionals serving children with HFASD. Once the program modifications were complete, a randomized controlled trial was conducted with children ages 8-12 with HFASD to evaluate the efficacy of S.S.GRIN-HFA. Results supported multiple positive treatment effects. Children who participated in the S.S.GRIN-HFA intervention demonstrated a significant improvement in social skills, whereas children in treatment as usual (TAU) showed a decline. Additionally, parents who participated with their child in the S.S.GRIN-HFA intervention demonstrated greater self-efficacy for helping their child with social problems at post-treatment whereas parents in the TAU group showed declining self-efficacy.

S.S.GRIN HFA is now available for purchase. To learn more or to purchase S.S.GRIN HFA, visit 3C Marketplace.

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DEB CHILDRESS, PHD

Chief of Research and Learning Content

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Childress obtained her PhD in psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to coming to 3C Institute, she served as a research associate and a postdoctoral fellow in the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill working on a longitudinal imaging study aimed at identifying the early markers of autism through behavioral and imaging methodologies. She has 19 years of autism research experience, during which she has examined the behavioral, personality, and cognitive characteristics of individuals with autism and their family members. Dr. Childress also has experience developing behavioral and parent report measurement tools, coordinating multi-site research studies, and collecting data from children and families. She has taught courses and seminars in general child development, autism, and cognitive development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Expertise

  • autism
  • early development
  • behavioral measurement
  • integrating behavioral and biological measurement

Education

  • Postdoctoral fellowship, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (Institutional NRSA-NICHD), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • PhD, developmental psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • BS, psychology (minor in sociology), University of Iowa

Selected Publications

  • Elison, J. T., Wolff, J. J., Heimer, D. C., Paterson, S. J., Gu, H., Hazlett, H. C., Styner, M, Gerig, G., & Piven, J. (in press). Frontolimbic neural circuitry at 6 months predicts individual differences in joint attention at 9 months. Developmental Science.
  • Wassink, T. H., Vieland, V. J., Sheffield, V. C., Bartlett, C. W., Goedken, R., Childress, D. & Piven, J. (2008). Posterior probability of linkage analysis of autism dataset identifies linkage to chromosome 16. Psychiatric Genetics,18(2),85-91.
  • Losh, M., Childress, D., Lam K. & Piven, J. (2008). Defining key features of the broad autism phenotype: A comparison across parents of multiple- and single-incidence autism families. American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics), 147B(4):424-33.
  • Wassink, T. H., Piven, J., Vieland, V. J., Jenkins, L., Frantz R., Bartlett, C. W., Goedken, R., … Sheffield, V.C. (2005). Evaluation of the chromosome 2q37.3 gene CENTG2 as an autism susceptibility gene. American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics), 136, 36-44.
  • Barrett, S., Beck, J., Bernier, R., Bisson, E., Braun, T., Casavant, T., Childress, D., … Vieland, V. (1999). An autosomal genomic screen for autism. American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics), 88, 609-615. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-8628(19991215)88:63.0.CO;2-L
  • Piven, J., Palmer, P., Landa, R., Santangelo, S., Jacobi, D. & Childress, D. (1997). Personality and language characteristics in parents from multiple-incidence autism families. American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics), 74, 398-411.
  • Piven, J., Palmer, P., Jacobi, D., Childress, D. & Arndt, S. (1997). Broader autism phenotype: Evidence from a family history study of multiple-incidence autism families. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 185-190.